Rigatoni and Meat Sauce
This hearty Italian classic recipe for Rigatoni and Meat Sauce is fantastic. Great with any ground meats; try pork sausage, beef, or turkey. This pasta meal is comforting, filling, & a crowd pleasing for all your friends and family.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Meat Italian sausage, beef, turkey, chicken etc.
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes juice included
- 2 tablespoons dry onion
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 pound rigatoni
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan add the crumbled meat. Over medium-high heat, brown until it is cooked through.Do not drain any fat unless there is an excessive amount.1 pound Ground Meat
- Add the garlic and canned diced tomatoes with the juice. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. The meat should start to break down into smaller pieces as it cooks in the liquid. For larger chunks use a potato masher or wooden spatula to press down and breakup the pieces.4 cloves garlic, 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- Add the onion and crushed tomatoes, stir and cook for 5 minutes.2 tablespoons dry onion, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Add the spices and stir to combine. Let it cook over a low simmer for 5 minutes and then turn the heat to the lowest setting. Stir occasionally and let cook for 30-40 minutes. Be sure to not let it burn on the sides or bottom - very low heat is important!1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Once it has thickened and reduced a bit it is almost ready. Taste test and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the pasta, stir and cook over medium-high heat until al dente. Most rigatoni takes about 8-10 minutes - see your package for best timing. Turn off the heat.1 pound rigatoni
- Drain the pasta and do not rinse it. You want the rigatoni starchy so the sauce sticks.
- Add the drained pasta back to the empty pot. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and gently toss to coat.
- Serve in individual pasta bowls or plates. Top with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano. Enjoy.
Notes
STORING & REHEATING:
- Leftovers last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- The sauce can be frozen for up to a month, defrost and reheat to add to pasta later.
- Reheat leftover pasta and sauce in the microwave for 1-2 minutes depending on portion size.
- Instead of sweet ground sausage; ground beef, chicken, turkey, or spicy Italian sausage without casings are good alternatives.
- Use low sodium canned tomatoes if needed for a low-sodium diet.
- Instead of rigatoni, substitute in other pasta shapes like penne, farfalle, rotini, or tagliatelle.
- GOURMET - Serve in a large pasta bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil leaves hand torn or sliced thin & grated cheese.
- Spoon into individual servings and let everyone top it with their favorites - burrata cheese, dollop of ricotta, fresh basil, grated cheese, or fresh cracked pepper.
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 19gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 701mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 301IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4mg
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